<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Your always here when I need you by TotallyRadioactive15</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557469">Your always here when I need you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyRadioactive15/pseuds/TotallyRadioactive15'>TotallyRadioactive15</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>#Ballum - Fluff [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EastEnders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddles, Fluff, M/M, Tears, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:48:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,343</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25557469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotallyRadioactive15/pseuds/TotallyRadioactive15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben needs Callum and he doesn't care who knows it</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>#Ballum - Fluff [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Your always here when I need you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm not really sure what this is.. it started off as something completely different and ended up like this!  </p>
<p>A combination of fluff requested by the #Ballum GC on Tumblr &amp; anon about a month ago</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>'Have you seen Callum?' Ben asked quietly as he walked in to the funeral parlor <br/>'Why?' Jay asked looking up from him paper work <br/>'Have you seen him or not?' Ben asked bluntly<br/>'Gosh someone's got out of bed the wrong side this morning' Jay told him putting his paper work onto the desk and looked over to where Ben was standing fiddling with the sleeves of his hoodie. </p>
<p>'Jay?' Ben asked again<br/>'No, I haven't sorry' Jay told him as he watched Ben nod and walk out. </p>
<p>Ben walked to the café, luckily his mum was working so he stood in the queue and waited for her to be free.</p>
<p>'Oh hello Ben Love, what can I get you' She said as she spotted him hoovering<br/>'Have you seen Callum?' He asked quietly looking to the floor</p>
<p>'He was in here a while ago, maybe he went home?' <br/>'I've just come from there' Ben told her defeated </p>
<p>'Well I'm sure your find him soon... Are you alright love you are being really quiet and you don't look to good' Kathy asked<br/>'I'm fine mum, just tied I guess' Ben lied not wanting her to faff around him, He just wanted Callum. </p>
<p>He had been working all day the day before, trying to run the carlot practically on his own and taking shifts at the arches to help Shirley out but it had run him down and he was so exhausted.<br/>He should have stayed in bed but he needed Callum to give him a hug and couldn't bare to wait at home on his own for much longer. </p>
<p>He walked out of the café and stood still looking around the square before heading over to the vic. </p>
<p>Ben was upset, he couldn't find Callum anywhere and he hadn't been answering his phone, he dragged himself back to the flat before sinking to the floor at the top of the stairs, winding his arms around his knees, and pressing his head on the top of his knees he let himself cry. </p>
<p>'What are doing out here baby?' Callum asked approaching Ben quietly, sitting on the top step and running his hand through Ben's hair. </p>
<p>'Callum?' Ben whispered bringing his head up and staring at the older man in front of him before throwing himself into Callum's arms. </p>
<p>'Hey... Hey, what's wrong? you okay?' Callum asked as he stroked Ben's back in their awkward position. <br/>Ben pulled back slightly, pushing his hand in Callum's to still keep some sort of contact <br/>'I've been looking all over for you... and I tied ringing but your weren't answering' Ben told him tears falling down his cheeks </p>
<p>'I'm sorry sweetheart... I ended up in the library across town and had to turn my phone off, I must have forgotten to turn it back on...' Callum told him smiling </p>
<p>'Are you okay? you don't look well baby' Callum told him pushing his hand against his forehead, he was a tad warm but nothing that felt unusual</p>
<p>'I'm fine... I am.. I'm just exhausted, I just wanted a cuddle' Ben told him honestly<br/>'Come on then... Lets get you inside' Callum whispered helping Ben up and leading him to the sofa. </p>
<p>Callum shrugged his jacket off and sat down on the sofa, opening his arms and letting Ben sit on his lap, snuggling into his his body. <br/>'Are you sure your okay?' Callum whispered as he wrapped his arms firmly around Ben's waist holding him tightly to his own body. </p>
<p>'Sure.. Just feel so drained' Ben whispered resting his head on Callum's shoulder, nuzzling his neck breathing in his scent. <br/>Ben smiled to himself when he felt one of Callum's hands that was around his waist pull up his t-shirt and gently run his fingers over his soft skin. It felt nice and soothing. </p>
<p>This position was his favorite, sitting of Callum's lap, nuzzling his neck as Callum held him tightly. <br/>They had only been sitting together for a little bit before Callum's phone started vibrating loudly on the coffee table. <br/>He leant over, bringing Ben with him picking up his phone before settling back into the sofa. </p>
<p>'What is it?' Ben asked as he settled his head on Callum's shoulder once more. <br/>'Oh just Lola and Ruby reminding us about drinks tonight... But I'll tell them we cant tonight' Callum told him, giving him a small smile before opening the message. </p>
<p>'No.. don't.. Lets go' Ben told him <br/>'Are you sure? If your tied we can just stay in, I don't mind' Callum said as he continued to stroke the skin of Ben's stomach underneath his t-shirt, holding his phone with his other hand. </p>
<p>'No... Its okay, I'm fine' Ben told him looking up and giving him his best heart eyes.<br/>'Alright then' Callum said smiling, leaning down to press a kiss to Ben's lips. </p>
<p>****</p>
<p>'Another drink?' Lola asked as she took a sip of her cocktail.<br/>They where sitting in a booth off to one corner, Ruby and Lola on one side and Callum and Ben on the other. Ben had perked up a bit more since they had got there but after a few drinks he had slumped into Callum's side, trying to will his eyes to remain open. </p>
<p>'Maybe one more' Callum said, wrapping his arm around Ben's shoulder <br/>'Do you want another?' He asked bending down and stroking his hand through Ben's hair. <br/>'Nah its okay...' Ben told him smiling <br/>'Do you wanna dance?' Callum asked <br/>'I'm okay just sitting here with you' Ben told him snuggling either further into his side. </p>
<p>'Aww Ben you are so cute' Ruby cooed<br/>'He's such a cuddler at heart, aint he Callum' Lola told the group as he returned with drinks, passing them around before sitting back down </p>
<p>Callum nodded before pulling Ben closer to his body, wrapping his arm around Ben;s shoulder and gently running his fingers through the small hairs on the back of his neck.</p>
<p>Ben felt better being here with Callum, he may have been rubbish company tonight but he felt better within himself, like this cuddled up to Callum's side, his hands on his thighs Callum's around his body his hands in his hair. He vaguely heard what was being said around the table, and Callum did try to include him in the conversation but Ben was content just sitting there. He could fall asleep if he really wanted to and he wouldn't care who saw. </p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Ben woke up, feeling disoriented. It was still night time he was sure of it. He looked around the room trying to work out what time it was. He squeezed his eyes shut feeling the stinging of his contacts in his eyes. </p>
<p>'Your awake then?' Callum asked as he walked into the bedroom, with a glass of water. <br/>'How long have i been asleep? Did we go to E20?' Ben asked pulling himself up leaning back against the pillows, he reached over to the bedside cabinet picking up his contact lenses box and took them out, replacing his glasses on his nose. </p>
<p>'Not long, only a few hours I think... Yeah we did... You feel asleep so I carried you home' Callum told him getting into bed and stroking his hand through Ben's hair</p>
<p>'You carried me home? Damn I wish I had been awake for that... Its one of my fantasies' Ben told him honestly feeling a blush creep into his cheeks. </p>
<p>'Well if ya good I'm sure we can recreate it' Callum told him giving him a smile before pulling him down so that he could wrap his arms around Callum's waist and lay his head on Callum's chest. .</p>
<p>'You feeling better?' Callum asked stroking Ben's hair once more <br/>'Mhmm' Ben moaned yawning 'Just needed some cuddles from my man' Ben told him snuggling in Callum's body </p>
<p>'I promise to leave my phone on next time, I want to be here when you need me' Callum told him pressing a kiss to the top Ben's head</p>
<p>'Your always here when I need you'</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos and Comment are appreciated  and keep me motivated to write more <br/>xxx</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I do not own any storylines, characters or locations used. All rights go to the BBC &amp; Eastenders</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>